MUD Literary Prize explained

The MUD Literary Prize is an Australian literary award awarded annually at Adelaide Writers' Week since 2018 to a debut literary novel. It is sponsored by a philanthropic organisation, the MUD Literary Club, which was founded in 2012.

The organisation

The MUD Literary Club was set up by a group of philanthropists headed by businessman Tony Parkinson in 2012, its acronym arising from "Mates of Ubud", a group of people who banded together to fund the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival, which is held annually in Ubud, Bali, after a large corporate sponsor withdrew. A friend of Parkinson, Sue Tweddell, became an enthusiastic driver of the project. The new committee decided to also direct funds to Adelaide Writers' Week, an annual free event held in Adelaide, South Australia, and since then has sponsored the appearance of two authors at each festival. One of these is an established major Australian author, and the other an emerging talent.

It is the only philanthropic organisation supporting literature in Australia, and its collaboration with Writers' Week has been welcomed by the organisers. It continues to raise funds by hosting literary lunches featuring authors such as Richard Flanagan, Thomas Keneally, Hannah Kent, Kate Grenville, and many others,[1] and also relies on several corporate sponsors as well as the subscriptions of its members, who pay person per year.[2]

A session entitled "MUD Literary Club: The 10th Anniversary", chaired by David Sly, was scheduled for the 2022 edition of Writers' Week, featuring Thomas Keneally, Hannah Kent, and Christos Tsiolkas.[3]

The prize

The MUD Literary Prize is awarded at Adelaide Writers' Week in March each year,[1] and is worth in cash (up from in 2020) and the prestige, exposure and recognition that comes with being presented at a major literary festival.[2] [4] In 2023, the prize was increased to .[5]

The inaugural prize was presented to Sarah Schmidt on March 5, 2018 at the Adelaide Writer's Week. Her work, a crime novel based on the notorious suspected murderer Lizzie Borden, reimagined the homicide of her parents and aftermath in 1892, and described the events from her and her sister's perspective.[6]

Since then, a shortlist and winner have been announced every year through 2023.

Prizewinners

Recipients

Shortlist

YearAuthorWorkResultRef
2018See What I Have DoneWon[13]
Terra NulliusShortlist
Bridget Crack
2019Boy Swallows UniverseWon[14]
Making of Martin SparrowCommended
FlamesShortlist
Dustfall
2020Master of My FateWon[15]
Lifetime of Impossible DaysShortlist
Heart of the Grass Tree
Fusion
2021Won[16]
Shortlist
Metal Fish Falling Snow
Lucky’s
Song of the Crocodile
2022Love & VirtueWon[17]
When Things Are Alive They HumShortlist
Before You Knew My Name
We Were Not Men
2023All That's Left UnsaidWon
Shortlist
2024Girl in a Pink DressWon
The PrizeShortlist
Thirst for Salt
Immaculate

Notes and References

  1. Web site: For a group of Adelaide philanthropists, the value of supporting Australian literature is as clear as MUD. David . Sly . . 21 February 2020 . 11 August 2021.
  2. Web site: Home. MUD Literary Club. 11 August 2021.
  3. Web site: The MUD Literary Club: The 10th Anniversary . . 5 March 2022.
  4. Web site: MUD Literary Prize . AustLit. University of Queensland. 5 March 2022. 2022.
  5. Web site: MUD Literary Prize increases to $10K, 2023 shortlist announced . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230216042541/https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2023/02/10/226653/mud-literary-prize-increases-to-10k-2023-shortlist-announced/ . 2023-02-16 . 2023-04-23 . Books+Publishing . en-AU.
  6. Web site: Jordan . Justine . 27 April 2017 . See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt review – inside the mind of Lizzie Borden . 11 August 2021 . The Guardian.
  7. Web site: 21 February 2020 . 2020 MUD Literary Prize winner announced . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230302194631/https://www.adelaidefestival.com.au/news/latest-news/2020-mud-literary-prize-winner-announced/ . 2023-03-02 . 11 August 2021 . Adelaide Festival.
  8. Web site: Adelaide author wins literary prize for debut novel. Suzie . Keen . . 18 February 2021 . 11 August 2021.
  9. Web site: 2022-02-25 . ‘Love & Virtue’ wins 2022 MUD Literary Prize . 2022-02-27 . Books+Publishing . en-AU.
  10. Web site: Sutton . Malcolm . Celebrating a decade of MUD Literary Club support for 'rank and file' writers at Adelaide Writers' Week . ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. . 2 March 2022 . 5 March 2022.
  11. Web site: 6 March 2023 . ‘All That’s Left Unsaid’ wins 2023 MUD Literary Prize . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230308013433/https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2023/03/06/227711/all-thats-left-unsaid-wins-2023-mud-literary-prize/ . 2023-03-08 . 2023-04-23 . Books+Publishing . en-AU.
  12. Web site: 2024-03-12 . Needham wins 2024 MUD Literary Prize . 2024-03-13 . Books+Publishing.
  13. Web site: 6 March 2018 . Schmidt wins inaugural MUD Literary Prize for debut fiction . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210813095548/https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2018/03/06/103054/schmidt-wins-inaugural-mud-literary-prize-for-debut-fiction/ . 2021-08-13 . 2023-04-23 . Books+Publishing . en-AU.
  14. Web site: 25 February 2019 . Dalton wins 2019 MUD Literary Prize for debut fiction . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220701054003/https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2019/02/25/124817/dalton-wins-2019-mud-literary-prize-for-debut-fiction/ . 2022-07-01 . 2023-04-23 . Books+Publishing . en-AU.
  15. Web site: 24 February 2020 . Brown wins 2020 MUD Literary Prize for debut fiction . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230327110624/https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2020/02/24/146293/brown-wins-2020-mud-literary-prize-for-debut-fiction/ . 2023-03-27 . 2023-04-23 . Books+Publishing . en-AU.
  16. Web site: 23 February 2021 . Williams wins 2021 MUD Literary Prize . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220227055224/https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2021/02/23/163063/williams-wins-2021-mud-literary-prize/ . 2022-02-27 . 2023-04-23 . Books+Publishing . en-AU.
  17. Web site: 25 February 2022 . ‘Love & Virtue’ wins 2022 MUD Literary Prize . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221119024003/https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2022/02/25/210592/love-virtue-wins-2021-mud-literary-prize/ . 2022-11-19 . 2023-04-23 . Books & Publishing . en-AU.

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